Sunday, 29 April, 2007

by Jason Koutsoukis
The Age

OPPOSITION Leader Kevin Rudd narrowly carried a vote yesterday to overturn the ALP's 25-year policy ban on new uranium mines, avoiding what would have been a major embarrassment to his leadership.

Delegates to Labor's national conference voted 205 to 190 to allow the expansion of uranium mining, in a vote that was much tighter than most observers expected.

Under amendments to Labor policy moved by Mr Rudd and South Australian Premier Mike Rann, individual states will be able to authorise the development of new uranium mines. Uranium exports will be allowed only to countries that have signed the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

In a speech to the conference floor, Mr Rudd said he recognised that the states and territories would take their own decisions on whether to approve new mines.

"The challenge is, as we debate this amendment, to recognise the reality that around the world there are so many economies who do not have and possess the rich range of energy options which we in this country have at our disposal," he said.

"We have been supplying uranium to them for many years and this amendment seeks to recognise that reality into the years ahead."

About 20 speakers spoke for and against Mr Rudd's motion and an alternative motion moved by federal Labor frontbenchers Anthony Albanese and Peter Garrett proposing to prevent the development of any new uranium mines.

Mr Garrett said the risks associated with uranium mining outweighed any benefits.

"With radioactive waste and nuclear proliferation, no issue has a greater purchase on the future than this issue does," he said.

"Because uranium mining leads inextricably to uranium waste and radioactive waste, uranium waste is toxic waste material which lasts for tens and hundreds thousands of years."

With a small group of anti-nuclear protesters leading a noisy chant outside the conference centre, Mr Albanese urged delegates to vote against Mr Rudd's policy proposal.

"If you're cautious about further involvement in the nuclear fuel cycle, vote for my amendment," Mr Albanese said.

"If you think that it's pretty arrogant to suggest that we know what will happen to geology, climate, and importantly, political changes over the next 240,000 years, think there might be a doubt about it, vote for my amendment."

But Australian Workers Union national secretary Bill Shorten said the issue was one of loyalty to Mr Rudd.

"If you think that rolling the leader is a great idea, then go ahead and vote for the Albanese-Garrett amendment," he said.

"For me, changing this policy is not going to win us the next election, I don't believe that at all. But what I do believe is that not voting for change will help undermine us at the next election.

"'For us not to change the policy would be turning our back upon an important plank of demonstrating Labor is ready for government," he said.

Victorian Premier Steve Bracks said that Victoria would not have a nuclear power plant and would remain nuclear-free. He said clean-coal technology, not nuclear energy, was the future and it was time to "get it right" on sustainable energy.

He said Victoria had a prohibition on nuclear power, and nuclear power plants would not be allowed in this state.

However, he said, he supported changes to federal Labor's uranium mining policy. "I think we need to change the policy, a changed policy with safeguards," he said.

State Opposition Leader Ted Baillieu was unavailable for comment.